The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Available now

I barely made it through the first chapter of A History of Wild Places before I was on my Library’s app and putting every book by Shea Ernshaw on hold. The Wicked Deep is a YA supernatural thriller full of witches, teenage angst, and the effects of centuries of lies and mistrust.

When three gorgeous and enchanting sisters are accused of witchcraft in 1822, the townspeople are quick to bring about their execution. The waters they are drowned in quickly become cursed to kill young men for centuries to come.

Now, in the present day, 17 year-old Penny Talbot feels stuck in her life on the small island off the coast of Oregon. After her father’s disappearance three years ago, Penny’s mother has become lost to her grief and unable to care for herself and her daughter. Juggling the obligations of high school, friends, and the island’s lighthouse is difficult, but Penny knows that this is just the beginning of a long and lonely life on the island. As the Swan season draws near, that deadly time of year when the three Swan Sisters come back to take over the bodies of young women only to kill at least three young men in retribution for their unfair deaths, Penny finds herself drawn to Bo Carter, a young man who has just arrived in Sparrow with no knowledge of the centuries old myth. As Penny’s feelings for Bo begin to grow, the tensions on the mainland grow to new heights as victims of the Swan Sisters are discovered and a young woman is accused of their deaths. How can Penny keep Bo safe when no one is safe during the Swan season?

The Wicked Deep is eerie, dark, and very atmospheric. Penny and her mother living on the island alone, without cell phones and needing to boat across to the mainland for everything really reinforces how remote and cutoff from help they are. The entire town knows that young men will die and yet no one can truly do anything against the supernatural threat their ancestors created. Adding to the tension is how young the victims are. The Swan sisters were 17-19 years old and chose victims of similar age. Young enough to be stuck in their little town, yet so close to being old enough to escape. Penny and her mother are devastated by her father’s disappearance and the way the town doesn’t care about outsiders, including those that tried to settle roots in their community. I really loved how Ernshaw pulled off a big dramatic twist at the end and just drove home the power of love and hope.

If you would like to add this amazing supernatural thriller to your list, you can find ordering information here:

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